OUT OF THE VALLEY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2973, 10 January 1917, Page 5

OUT OF THE VALLEY

_ _» WELLINGTON WIRELESS MAN'S LETTER. Sergeant Joseph Hadfield, a Wellington member of the New Zealand Wireless Troop, which went to Mesopotamia over a. year ago, and who, after a hard time "up tho .valley," took fover, and spent many dreary weeks in a Bombay hospital, was at the latest advices in Alexandria, from .where ho writes interestingly: — "Left Bombay October 15 by the hospital ship Delta, and had'a smooth, uneventful trip to Suez, There were threo other wireless boys beside myself, Kite (Auckland), Corder (Wellington), and Hampton (Christchurch) on the ship. Everybody on board showed marked improvement as soon »b wo-left tho hot climes. We all appreciated the change of climate at Suez, there being quite a nip in the air, and many of us had recourso to blankets—tho first for many months. Wo transhipped at Suez, and came overland to Alexandria, via Tel-el-Kebir. The country looked grand.. Miles and miles of cultivated land, mostly maizo and cotton, stretching as far a.s the eye could reach on either side of tho railway. Tho trip dispelled some illusions I had' concerning these parts. It is a paradise compared to 'Mess-up-potamia!" lam not much impressed hv tho town of Alexandria, hut tho climate at this time of tho year is grand. I noticed men who could not walk and others -who worn unablo to use their hands a few weeks ago getting round in fine style, and I, myself, have picked up wonderfully. Two of ours left for Cairo on Friday, bound for Now Zealand, hut another and myself are ftoing to England. I must count myself very fortunate in two ways. On Sunday last a convoy of sick, etc., loft tbis bosoital for England. 'The other New Zealand wireless man beside myself drew kits, and we both expected to pet away together with that convoy. He got away, but my ward was cut out. Wo have since been informcd_ that tho ship I would havo sailed in was torpedoed. Fortunately, all wore saved. Tho rest of us had been waiting to join the' Britannic, and she, too, was torpedoed. Goodness! What will, those Germans descend to next? Siirely this should awaken some of our "csm't-bc-donc-witliout-afc home" brigade!" "In peace there's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility.: But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate tho action of fh.9 tiger: Stiffen ' the sinews, summon up the blood '." "Last week's papers chronicled an air-raid oh.Cairo, and I quite expected one to drop mo a New Zealand budget here. _ Am moro than fed up with hospital life, and hope we will all get away in a few days. All tho English 'Tommies' are keen to got away to 'Blighty' for Christmas."